Simulator sends its own text message to teens

Specially equipped car reveals the dangers of texting while driving

CHULA VISTA  Hilltop High School senior Ricardo Valdez felt pretty confident behind the wheel of the simulator-equipped Toyota Prius parked on the school’s football field. Wearing the simulator’s goggles, the 18-year-old tooled down the virtual roadway, following prompts to drive 25 mph while sending a simple text.

He lasted less than 20 seconds before hitting a cyber cyclist and crashing.

“I thought I was doing fine,” said Ricardo as he got out of the Prius. “I found out I was speeding and had 12 infractions including going off the road. I was told to text ‘Hey, what are you doing tonight?’ and I never got further than ‘Hey you.’”

Hilltop High students used an AT&T simulator to learn about the perils of texting and driving. Many drove erratically and some hit simulated dogs or bicyclists.Crissy Pascual

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Hilltop High students used an AT&T simulator to learn about the perils of texting and driving. Many drove erratically and some hit simulated dogs or bicyclists.

Ricardo was one of about 400 Hilltop High students who got to “drive” in the simulator Monday as part of AT&T’s Txtng & Driving … It Can Wait program, which lets beginning drivers experience the perils of texting on a mock roadway. The high school in Chula Vista was the final stop in AT&T’s 10-city West Coast tour that began earlier this month in Spokane, Wash.

The event was well timed. Memorial Day marks the beginning of the 100 deadliest days for teenagers to be on the road.

“Kids have a lot on their minds, graduation, summer break, going off to school,” said Christine Moore, AT&T’s director of external affairs. “There is a lot of stuff going on that makes the next 100 days so dangerous for them.

“This is a connected world,” added Moore, who cited the statistic that teens text an average of 60 times a day. “Teens rely on this connectivity to communicate with each other. We are passionate about helping them do that safely and responsibly.”

A 2009 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study revealed that in texting-related crashes, drivers spent five seconds looking at their devices — enough time to drive the length of a football field at typical highway speeds. The least experienced drivers on the road, teens are at a higher risk of enduring crashes caused by inattention, according to a recent report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Five seconds into her simulation, Yolenie Calderon, 17, had four traffic infractions, crashed once and drove almost exclusively on the wrong side of the road. Climbing out of the Prius, she said, “I couldn’t even unlock my phone.”

Bryce Smith, 17, a junior, crashed within 20 seconds. For 63 percent of his trip, he exceeded the speed limit, drove on the wrong side of the road twice, and had 14 traffic violations.

“I was supposed to text ‘What are you doing?’ but instead texted ‘Why, what’s up’,” said Bryce. “I was so focused on what my hand was doing, I stopped looking at the road.

“I know for my prom next year that I won’t be texting and driving.”

Cary Campbell, 17, said he never texts and drives, and it’s a good thing after his performance in the simulator.

“The instructor told me to text ‘Hey, what’s up?’,” said Cary. “All I texted was “i.e.” twice before I crashed.”

Luis Ontiveros’ experience was revelatory as well.

“I looked at the phone, then looked up and I was going a completely different way,” said the 17-year-old. “The cop said I was swerving all over the place.”

As each student finished his or her test drive, many laughing and shaking at the same time, San Diego County sheriff’s Lt. David Gilmore ticked off the results he and the other teens witnessed on a monitor. One student, Gilmore said, exceeded the speed limit 74 percent of the time, got two tickets, crashed twice, and hit a pedestrian.

“That anguish is something you never want to own,” Gilmore told the teens.

Students also watched AT&T’s 10-minute documentary, “The Last Text,” which features real stories from victims, drivers, and family members whose lives were affected by a teen texting while driving. Then they heard from local law enforcement, Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Steve Castaneda and county Supervisor Greg Cox.

Texting and driving facts

• Texting is the number one mode of communication for teens.

• At 65 m.p.h., a car travels the length of a basketball court in a single second.

• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds.

“It’s crazy for young kids, or anyone for that matter, to do anything other than concentrate on driving,” said Cox, who told Monday’s participants he taught driver training in the ’70s in the Sweetwater district. “There are enough distractions without having to talk on a cellphone or send a text.

“We’re not here to preach to you,” he said. “We want to let you know that driving is a full-time occupation.”

Sweetwater board member John McCann asked students to pledge not to drive and text. Pledge forms were handed out that read: “Be Smart. Be Caring. Be In Control. Be an example.”

In his remarks, Chula Vista police Capt. Gary Wedge reminded the teens that nothing is so significant that it can’t wait.

“You’re at a great time in your life,” Wedge said. “You have the world before you.

“You’re about to go solve the ills of the world. But you can’t do it if you’re not around.”